By His Side
by Love4theloveless
Summary: Nanao gets injured while on a mission and temporarily loses her sight. Shunsui can protect her from many things, but perhaps not from the soutaicho who wants to dispose of the now useless fukutaicho. How long can Nanao stay with Shunsui when they are not tied together by duty?
1. Apologies and Breakthroughs

**A/N: just as a heads up, in this story Shunsui does not have his eye patch because, while it IS extremely sexy, I don't really want to write about how he got part of his ear hacked off when his eye was cut, haha! Kinda gross, especially since Nanao is blind and all, I don't really want to make the poor girl have to describe his weird half ear if she's touching his face to 'see' him! Anyways, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach I wouldn't be writing fan fiction, and the whole thing would be about Shunsui and Nanao, and Rangiku and Gin!**

By His Side

Chapter One: Apologies and breakthroughs

Kyōraku Shunsui was not one to lose control of his emotions. A select few have seen him display displeasure beyond losing his lopsided grin, or glaring with hints of malice. Right now, however, the same calm, held together man was practically running over medics, demanding answers.

"Where is she? Is she alright?!" Shunsui nearly ran into Lady Unohana, but her clearly irritated and slightly flaring reiatsu stopped him affectively.

"Kyōraku -taicho, control yourself before I have to do it for you. Ise-fukutaicho is currently stable, and resting. If you would've waited a few moments before barging in here, one of my staff members would have escorted you to her room in the West wing of the hospital." Lady Unohana was a woman of gentle appearances, and unmerciful threats. Shunsui shivered slightly, recalling his previous encounters with her bad side.

"Of course, my sincere apologies, could I please see her now?"

Shunsui started walking before Unohana could answer, deciding to risk it and deal with her wrath later. All that mattered right now was getting to his fukutaicho and confirming that she was really alright. A low-level medic was sent after him with orders to guide him to the correct room.

Shunsui gazed at the dry erase board on the door reading her name. So cold, unfeeling, scrawled quickly in black letters adding no comfort to his worries. The Young medic opened the door, leading the taicho inside, leaving him afterwards.

"Nanao?" His voice reverberated off the white painted walls, hitting his ears with echoing pitches.

Nanao was sitting upright in the hospital bed, her back hunched over, her hair out of it's usual clip as it hung limply around her face, shielding her from his eyes. Bandages covered her arms and chest, clean and precise, mirroring the handiwork of the 12th division. When her reply came it was hoarse and barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry taicho."

"Nanao-chan?"

"I'm so sorry taicho, I screwed up. I messed everything up."

Shunsui's stomach twisted and he stepped closer, confusion written on his face. His large hand came to rest on her shoulder, and Nanao weakly shrugged it off, still not facing him.

"Nanao? What do you mean? Please, talk to me, Jushiro told me your group was attacked by a Menos Grande, but it wasn't your fault, Nanao, there was no way you could have known. Look at me" He cupped Nanao's chin and turned her face towards him, his eyes steeling at the bandages covering her eyes, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Nanao, are you-"

"Please taicho, don't be angry with me, I'm sorry. I failed you as a fukutaicho, and as one of the Gotei 13."

Shunsui opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about when the door opened once again, and Unohana stepped forth, bowing slightly, maintaining her ever present polite attitude.

"I see you have not been made aware of Ise-fukutaicho's condition. The Menos Grande's attack on the group patrolling took major tolls on the other shinigami as well, including Hitsugaya-taicho and his fukutaicho, Rangiku-san. While Nanao did not receive the most grave injuries, she still has a few issues you should address."

Shunsui visibly stiffened, his grip on Nanao traveling from her face to her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"Her ribs are, for the most part shattered, and her arms have sustained third degree burns as well. Her eyes took the most damage. The eyes themselves healed beautifully, however not completely. We cannot be sure if it will return of not, but for now her eyesight is nonexistent."

Nanao was curling into herself, shame washing over her, when Shunsui wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her small frame with his broad one, whispering apologies in her ear.

"I should've never sent you on that mission, I'm so sorry Nanao."

Pushing him away from her, Nanao moved blindly towards the other side of the bed and meekly spoke, "I understand that I am now useless as a fukutaicho, and I am ashamed to ask something so selfish, but is it too much to ask of you, Kyōraku-taicho…to let me remain by your side?"

Shunsui stood frozen, shocked thoroughly as Unohana shot Nanao a strongly disapproving look, and since she could not see it, Unohana chastised her with words. "How could you ever think it would be alright for you to burden your taicho by-"

"That is enough, Unohana. It would be best if you left now." Shunsui's voice, dark and strong, guided lady Unohana out the door easily.

"How could you ever even consider that I would replace you? Who else could appreciate my sake drinking skills but you, Nanao-chan?"

If situations were different, the fukutaicho would have smiled at his attempt to cheer her up, but this was one problem her taicho couldn't solve. Her body was once again cloaked by his, firm but gentle and mindful of her wounds. Shunsui always treated her like a fragile glass, protecting her, and keeping her from harm all hours of the day.

"The only reason you would ever be separated from my side is if you were dead. No, not even then, because I would gladly give my life to join you."

"Kyōraku-taicho, you know as well as I do that you are not going to the same place I am when you die." A slight smile gracing her lips.

The elder man, comforted by the return of her spirit, let go of her and sat beside the small woman, keeping a warm hand on her back for reassurance. "Is there anything you need? I can send someone to go get you food, or something to drink."

The woman sat up straighter, clearing her raspy throat. "Could you take off the bandages on my eyes, please? I want to know how bad it is."

Shunsui sighed and untied the white gauze, unraveling it from under her glossy hair, briefly wondering where her glasses ended up, not that it mattered. Her pale ivory skin had a thin scar, obviously having already been worked on by Unohana, reaching from one temple to the other, raised and a delicate red, marring her porcelain features.

One small, pale hand reached up tentatively and prodded her jaw bone, tracing it until she reached the right end of the wound. Nanao's breath caught in her chest as she followed the cut, thin fingers dancing delicately across her closed eyelids, over the bridge of her nose, and to her other temple, completing her path.

Her face twisted into one of grief and pain. Her face, which had so frequently been a reminder to her of Lisa, the fukutaicho before her and a close friend, was now forever scarred. A new fear erupted within her when she remembered who was with her. Would Kyōraku-taicho shun her now that she no longer resembled his favored fukutaicho, Lisa? Would he send her away, now that he had no reason to flirt and play games with her? Perhaps he would find another pretty woman to joke around with. His eerie silence didn't do much to comfort her.

Deciding to test her theory, Nanao shyly spoke. "How bad is it?" Her voice wavered and broke. There was no way she could return to the Rukongai if he sent her away, not now that she had been exposed to the warmth of having a purpose these past few centuries. She opened her unseeing eyes and looked in the direction of her taicho's voice.

Shunsui's breath was lost as her eyes, now glazed over, met his almost exactly. Her once piercing eyes were now a soft, but not dulled, violet that still somehow managed to leave him at a loss for words. So many emotions were still displayed in her irises, twisting his stomach and grasping his heart. Shunsui pulled his subordinate, who was on the verge of breaking, close and pressed her against his chest, cradling the small woman. "It's beautiful. You are beautiful, Nanao."

For the first time in many decades, Shunsui held her. And for the first time, Nanao sobbed, and completely let go of her strong facade, reassured that as long as she was in her taicho's arms, she was completely safe, and utterly loved.

**A/N: sorry it was so short, I wanted to end on a good note, and I wanted the first chapter to only be about this scene. Anyways, You know where that pretty little "review" button is, and it's tempting cousin, "Favorite Story" button, soooooo no pressure or anything…click the button.**


	2. Call My Name

**A/N: Hey guys, I got some free time to write and update, so here it is! I try to reply to all the reviews I get, because they honestly do make me want to write more, and I appreciate every single one of them! I love Shunsui and Nanao, but I find that Nanao is easier to write because Shunsui always surprises her by becoming spontaneously serious at times, so while writing him I always have to be paying attention because understanding his character is extremely difficult. That is also why this story is not in first person.**

_**Hormonal Granny**_**: Thanks so much! I honestly have a really hard time writing Unohana, just because her character is so double-sided and unpredictable, but I will be sure to research a little more before I write her next time, thanks for telling me! Ich danke ihnen!**

_**Ebo372**_**: Same here, I fell in love with the pairing the instant I saw them!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach**

* * *

By His Side

Chapter Two: Call My Name

By the time Nanao woke up, Shunsui had already left. Calming down after the initial panic of being alone, she reasoned with herself, 'did I expect him to stay the night? It's only natural, he has to do the work that I'm incapable of doing, and I'm sure he has better places to be than in a hospital with his emotional fukutaicho.'

Briefly, Nanao kept her eyes closed after waking up, allowing herself to think that all the events of yesterday were part of a long, particularly nasty nightmare, and that once she opened her eyes her light blue ceiling would appear above her, and she would be on her way to her taicho's office to pick up paperwork, ignoring his shameless flirting.

Nanao smiled a little, remembering his numerous attempts to be suave with her; joking, being inappropriate and blurring the lines of duty, saying things like how special and beautiful she is. If he really was going to take her fukutaicho status would she come to miss his stupid grins, or the smell of sake that would appear next to her when he would sneak up and scare her? Maybe the long forgotten pain of starvation would push those memories away as she laid on the verge of death in the Rukongai.

Sensing the familiar reiatsu beside her, she opened her unseeing eyes and turned, not noticing her dark bangs falling to cover her face. "Rangiku-san, what are yo-"

"Nanao!" the overly busty blonde gripped the smaller woman in a crushing hug, barely allowing room to breathe.

"Rangiku-san, how are you feeling? How bad were your injuries?" Nanao gasped out once she was released. Being unable to see how badly her friend was bandaged up worried her, in fact, this whole idea of her not being able to function for herself normally frightened her.

The loud fukutaicho huffed, crossing her arms. "I've had worse, and besides, I'm more concerned with the staff here! When I woke up I had been placed on my stomach to stay off the cut on my back, and I almost died!" Nanao quirked an eyebrow, knowing the woman had some sort of inappropriate explanation, she just had to wait, "A well endowed woman like myself, if sleeping on her stomach, can suffocate! Nanao-chan I swear these people are trying to kill me!" and there it was. Rangiku always had some sort of excuse to mention her unmentionables or bring her chest into a conversation, and it left no room for argument.

Taking on a more serious tone, the woman spoke again, softly this time. "Nanao, I'm more worried about you. Kyōraku-kun said that your injuries were bad, but you're sitting up, you're not in one of those romance clichés where the girl has amnesia and the guy has to trigger it back by confessing his long hidden love. What's wrong?"

'So Kyōraku-taicho didn't tell her about my eyes.' Nanao thought, at a loss as to what to say. She knew that it was best if she told her, but how would Rangiku react? Would she tell the whole Seireitei and tarnish Nanao's reputation? Deciding to get it over with as quickly as possible, Nanao opened her mouth to speak when another familiar reiatsu flooded her senses, and the scent of cherry blossoms enveloped her. A haori clad arm draped around her shoulders, the sleeve shielding her eyes from Rangiku just as Nanao was lifting them to show her.

"Rangiku-san, Nanao-chan is very tired, it might be best for her to not have visitors right now." the sloppy grin never leaving his face as he ushered the elder woman out, shutting the door behind her.

"I'm sorry Nanao-chan, I just had some news about your condition and I didn't think you would want her here when I told you."

Nanao was glad he was being direct with her, but part of her hated that he was so serious when talking to her. She was yearning for some normalcy from him; a joke, or maybe even a slightly wandering hand. Anything to make her hit him with her Kidō book and recite the shinigami rule number thirty-seven about discretion while he ignores her and chuckles.

"What is the news, taicho?"

"I was talking with Lady Unohana and she said that as long as you are mindful of your wounds you're free to be released, but that it is dangerous for you to be alone so you will have to have someone stay with you until you adapt and function normally."

"Someone like who?" Nanao was not happy at all. She was tired, confused, and all she wanted was a long bath in _her_ bathtub, a nap in _her_ bed, and certainly to be alone in _her_ house.

"Unohana said it would be easier if I watched over you, since we are already used to working together." Shunsui braced himself for the impending anger that was sure to come. He wasn't quite sure how to say it, because as much as he has dreamed about being closer to his fukutaicho, he certainly did not wish for it to happen under these horrible circumstances.

Instead of getting angry Nanao just sighed and unlaced her fingers from their resting place in her lap. "when can I go home?"

"whenever you're ready."

* * *

Shunsui had never been in Nanao's house and had always pictured it looking like a hospital; white, pristine, organized, and practically sterile. Then again, his Nanao-chan always did have a way of surprising him right when he thought he had figured her out a little.

The house was small in stature, and had a baby blue interior, soft and welcoming. Shunsui reached for Nanao for the tenth time since they left the hospital, and for the tenth time Nanao shrugged the hand away, determined to do it by herself. When their journey had begun in the hospital she had started with baby steps, her legs wobbling and her hands grasping desperately for a center of balance. After refusing help countless times, Nanao focused and held onto her taicho's reiatsu, following it and finding walking to have become much easier.

Unlocking the door, Shunsui led the blind woman inside, the whole time fretting about this and that, his words falling on deaf ears as Nanao chose to ignore him. She tried to picture her living room in her mind, where the loveseat was, which hallway led where. Taking a step forward and extending her arms, she aimed for her couch, intent on lying down and taking a long, very necessary nap.

The older taicho was still trying to figure out her many security locks, as well as why she had so many, when he heard a soft thump, followed by a yelp as Nanao hit her leg on her dark wood coffee table, throwing her arms out to brace her fall.

Large hands grasped Nanao's waist and pulled her backwards, holding her close to Shunsui's chest. "Be more careful, Nanao-chan." His breath brushed her ear and his chest rumbled with low laughter. Her face heated up and she let her hair cover it, hanging her head in embarrassment. 'How can I ever be a Shinigami again," she thought, squeezing her eyes shut. 'when I can't even walk in my own house?' She felt the high sinus burn of tears and buried her face in her taicho's pink haori, not caring about boundaries and her pride.

Gripping the fabric with both hands, the smaller woman shook and hiccupped, her unseeing eyes tearing up and spilling over, causing Shunsui to stop laughing and snap his gaze down to her. "Nanao?"

Picking her up and cradling her against his chest, he sat down in one of her chairs, holding the crying woman close, silently comforting her.

Shunsui knew there was nothing he could say to help his fukutaicho, so he did the only thing he could; make sure she didn't cry alone.

* * *

Nanao opened her eyes and tried to adjust to not seeing a difference. She pushed herself up, her hand flattening against a hard chest, partly covered in robes. She pulled her hand back faster than as if it had been burnt and felt blood rush to her cheeks, remembering what had happened before she fell asleep.

Sensing the calmness of her taicho's reiatsu, she relaxed, knowing he had fallen asleep also. Nanao treasured small things like knowing Kyōraku-taicho trusted her enough to honestly sleep in front of her, or when he says something serious and gets a soft look in his eyes.

Shunsui shifted slightly, mumbling under his breath. Leaning in, Nanao placed her ear closer, trying to form words from his raspy babbling. Sleepily wrapping his arms around her waist, Shunsui pulled Nanao close and whispered, smiling, before falling back asleep.

"Lisa-chan."

* * *

_**A/N: I love ending a chapter, because I have to ask myself how I can further torment and confuse my readers, and I come up with messed up plot twists. Thanks so much for everyone who followed/ added my story to favorites, and especially those who reviewed! I love hearing your thoughts and I take every review and PM into serious consideration! Don't hesitate to point out errors so I can fix them! I re-read and edit my chapters multiple times, but I'm still a bit confused with the English language, and if I misspelled a word, or messed up a sentence I have no problem going back and fixing it! Vielen Dank für das Lesen!**_


	3. Over the Danger Line

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait! Sophomore year has practically murdered me already! Classes, teachers, drama, AP courses, boyfriends, news, destroyed rooms, ugh! I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit thrown together or rushed, I just wanted to get SOMETHING out to prove I'm not dead to the fan fiction world! I usually hate songfics, but I have been obsessed with this song since I saw The Great Gatsby, and I think it really suits Nanao and Shunsui. PLEASE tell me if I should do more songfic chapters, take out the lyrics from the chapter completely, or leave it how it is, because I'm basically writing blindly with little experience! This chapter picks up right where the previous one left off.**

**Skye: Thank you so much! When I read your review It made my day! Thanks!**

**Tuberose: Thanks so much for the advice! The idea for Rangiku actually helped me a ton with overcoming my writer's block! **

**Morgan: Thank you! I'm trying to start writing chapters more often!**

**Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me, lyrics belong to Lana Del Rey's "young and beautiful"**

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Chapter Three: Over the Danger Line

Nanao got up shakily, the plush carpet beneath her feet throwing off her balance. One small step at a time she moved to where she remembered her couch being, intent on curling up and sleeping until her heart felt whole again and stopped its incessant aching.

Her hip cracked harshly against something solid and foreign causing her to gasp and jerk backward, falling to the ground. Almost immediately, two hands were on her waist, lifting her and seating her on a soft surface.

Her taicho's husky voice reached her ears, somewhat calming the panic that had arisen within her. "Nanao-chan, are you alright? I'm so sorry, I fell asleep, did you need something?" Nanao was confused, the movement went too fast for her, and she almost had everything sorted out when a hand drifted down to rub her injured hip rather unnecessarily. She swung her fist blindly, content to feel harsh skin to skin contact.

"Nanao-chan! I was simply making sure my subordinate was uninjured! Are you accusing me of being a pervert?" His voice sounded appalled and she smirked, against the disgust she felt at the idea of being another one of his playthings in a line of god knows how many. She briefly wondered how many women his comforting hands had felt, or even worse, loved. She focused her mind on something else for the time being.

"What time is it?"

"Nine in the morning, Nanao-chan"

"Thank you, Kyōraku-taicho."

Nanao was pulled closer to the male and embraced tightly. "taicho?"

"That's the first time you have asked me for something since the accident. You need to realize that I am here to answer you're every command. It's my fault you're hurt like this, Nanao. I should have never let you go on that mission."

Nanao couldn't help it, without thinking she blurted out, "You let Lisa-san go on dangerous missions all the time, and we are practically the same-"

"You and Lisa-chan are not the same. The situations were different back then."

Against her better judgment, Nanao prodded further. "But Lisa-san was your Fukutaicho, and so am I. My job is to protect you, not the other way around. You yourself have had enough Fukutaicho to understand this duty, correct? No one subordinate is special, or held above others."

Shunsui sighed, "Nanao-chan, you are very special to me."

For the first time since leaving the hospital, Nanao cursed her useless eyes for not allowing her to see if her taicho was lying.

Useless.

The word struck a chord, then a heart string, then engraved itself to her memory.

* * *

Shunsui Kyōraku was always an intelligent, observant man. He knew his little Fukutaicho well enough to know when something was amiss. There are very few things he misses when with her.

When Nanao declared she wanted to have someone else as her caretaker to "refrain from hindering him" he didn't buy it for a second. Something, or someone, was making her say this. Then it clicked.

"Nanao, I'm so sorry, I should have realized. If you have a boyfriend that you would rather have take care of you, I can leave." Sadness laced through his words, one by one, hope by hope.

Nanao flushed, "Ah, no! I mean, there isn't- You're- I just-!"

Nanao's stuttering was cut off by a low chuckle of relief and amusement as the older male leaned forward, placing his palms on either side of her head. Sensing his reiatsu closing in, she flinched back, pressing against her living room wall. The faint smell of cherry blossoms overwhelming her.

"So there's no one? It's hard to believe that no man has tried his luck and sweet-talked you." Shunsui's voice was low and raspy, grasping Nanao's full attention.

"With you threatening every man that looks my way, there isn't much of a chance for my love life now is there, taicho?"

"I will stop being overbearing when you stop refusing my love, you know that, Nanao-chan," this time his words were right next to her ear, pleading and desperate as his stubble grazed her cheek. He leaned down to be equal with her much smaller frame. "All you have to do is say yes and let me love you for the rest of our long lives."

Nanao knew his patience was wearing thin. The sensible part of her wanted to yell, hit him, do anything to get rid of this odd serious side of her taicho. She wanted him to be serious only for _her_, but this husky voice of his was fooling, expressing the unknown number of women who had fallen for it before her.

She shut her unseeing eyes tightly, as if to shut out the part of her heart he had captured over the past 600 years. She wanted to cut it out and lock it away, where no one would find it.

Shunsui grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, causing her to look at him as best she could.

"Don't hide your eyes from me, ever."

"But they're useless."

"Their use has only ever been to allow me to get lost in them."

Nanao's cheeks flushed prettily as he pushed himself off her. "I'm going to speak with Yamamoto. Rangiku has been made aware of your condition so she will watch over you."

Just as quickly as the moment dispersed, he was leaving her house as she realized he had made her entirely forget about her request for a new caretaker.

"TAICHO!"

She really did _hate_ that man's smirk.

* * *

Rangiku had only been in Nanao's house for an hour, and she was already being inappropriate.

"So he stayed the night, with you in his arms, and his hands were kept to himself?" Rangiku was incredulous.

"For the third time, yes, Rangiku-san."

"But _why_?!"

Rangiku had a history of finding ways to push the two together in the hopes of a relationship blossoming. It was really starting to grate on Nanao's nerves.

Sighing, she changed the subject. "Rangiku-san, may I ask you a question?" After gaining an approving nod, she continued. "What kind of relationship did Kyōraku-taicho and Lisa-san have?"

Rangiku let out a deep breath, knowing this was a serious subject for her friend. "A normal one, I suppose. Lisa's attitude was almost exactly like Shunsui-kun's. They were always teasing each other. Why, jealous?"

Nanao flushed. "N-not at all! Just wondering."

"Look Nanao-chan, Shunsui would do anything for you. He cares for you very much. I'm actually still very surprised he reacted so mildly about your status revocation. The Gotei 13 was all riled up when Yamamoto announced it but here are you two, calm as ever. Shunsui must have a pretty big plan up his sleeve."

Nanao's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? My status hasn't changed, I'm still a Fukutaicho."

Rangiku brought a hand to her mouth, gasping. "Shit, he hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. You need to see Shunsui, I'll track his reiatsu!"

Rangiku pulled Nanao out her door, confused and a bit dizzy.

* * *

_I've seen the world_

_Done it all_

_Had my cake now_

_Diamonds, brilliant_

_And Bel Air now_

The two women stopped in front of "Sumi", a popular sake house.

"Are you sure he's in here?" Nanao asked, smelling the alcohol and immediately recognizing it as one of her taicho's most visited bars. "He said he was going to speak with Yamamoto, not drink."

Rangiku left her question unanswered and pulled her through the double doors, surrounding the two in the strong incense and loud jesting.

_Hot summer nights, mid July_

_When you and I were forever wild_

_The crazy days, city lights_

_The way you'd play with me like a child_

Nanao couldn't decide weather to open or shut her eyes. She didn't know how many people knew of her blindness, nor did she know which would look worse. Nanao hated not knowing things.

In the distance she heard Kyōraku's voice.

His words were slurred and she was sure he was drunk. With every forced step forwards she wanted to wrench her hand out of Rangiku's and take twelve in the opposite direction.

Around her taicho's reiatsu she could hear many feminine laughs and sultry giggles.

_Dear lord, when I get to heaven_

_Please let me bring my man_

_When he comes tell me that you'll let him in_

_Father tell me if you can_

"What the hell, Shunsui?" Rangiku was pissed, to say the least.

"Ah! Rangiku-san! Come here! Drink with me!"

They walked closer and Nanao brushed her long hair out of her face, wishing desperately that she had her hair clip with her; anything to help make this whole situation a bit more professional.

A familiar large hand wrapped around her wrist with ease and pulled her into a whole new confusion that faintly smelled like cherry blossoms and felt like her taicho's favorite pink haori. She immediately missed Rangiku's grip.

_Oh that grace, oh that body_

_Oh that face makes me wanna party_

_He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds_

"Lisa-chan! I haven't seen you for some time! Where'ya been?" Shunsui's breath was sake filled and his words didn't process in Nanao's head right away.

_Will you still love me_

_When I'm no longer young and beautiful?_

"Lisa-chan, I gotta little problem. Ya' see, old man Yamamoto is trying to take away my Fukutaicho. Do ya' need a job anytime soon?" He leaned in and pecked Nanao on the lips as her favorite grin of his broke out on his face and something inside her snapped.

_Will you still love me_

_When I got nothing but my aching soul?_

She slapped him.

As hard as she could. So hard that it hurt her too. It reverberated from her palm to her heart and made tears leak out of her eyes angrily.

The commotion stopped, the music ceased, and everyone was silent.

_I know you will, I know you will_

_I know that you will_

Shunsui sobered up a little and looked at her again. "Nanao?"

Nanao slowly stood and grasped his arm, draping it around her neck, lifting him to his feet. Silently, she focused on where she believed Rangiku to be, took her hand, and quietly whispered. "I'd better get him home."

_Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?_

Rangiku nodded and took her outside, the taicho among them muttering apologies the whole way to his house. No one knew which were true and which were spoken by the sake.

_Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?_

Nanao's heart still hoped he would come around, and she wondered briefly if it were possible for him to ever truly love her.

_Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?_

* * *

**A/N: Intense, huh guys? So sorry this is kinda late, but I hope you guys are enjoying labor day as much as I am! Don't worry, the next chapter will have more progress and not destruction with Nanao and Shunsui's relationship! Please review and tell me how you felt about the lyrics, I can always take them out!**


	4. Haori

**A/N: I'm so so so so sorry about the late update! Life has been crazy lately with school, work, drama, etc. Add on major writer's block and I'm screwed! I promise to update more often, I swear! Sorry about this one being so short, but the next chapter will have a lot of NanaoXShunsui romance!**

_**Guest:**_** Uh, Thanks!**

* * *

Chapter four: Haori

Nanao Ise could count on one hand the amount of times she had been genuinely shocked in her long lifetime, but that record broke the second Rangiku opened her mouth.

"Yamamoto has taken away your title."

Nanao almost dropped Shunsui in surprise, but quickly caught him before he hit her living room floor.

"What?!"

Rangiku sighed and sat the unconscious taicho on the spare futon previously laid out.

"Yamamoto heard from Unohana about your…condition…and revoked your status without confirmation. You're no longer the fukutaicho of squad 8. You're no more than a substitute shinigami. I'm so sorry Nanao-chan, we all tried to stop him! Every one of us, even Toshiro, tried to reason with him but he won't budge!"

Nanao clutched her uniform and twisted it between two fingers- a nervous habit she hadn't performed since she was a child. "Why am I still here? Shouldn't I be back at the Rukongai by now?"

Rangiku sat Nanao down on her couch next to her taicho's discarded pink haori.

"You know Shunsui-kun would never allow that. Don't you remember how he reacted when you told him about the district's conditions?"

Nanao did remember, quite vividly in fact. It was the first time she had seen her taicho so angry. He had grown up so lavishly and ignorantly, and when he asked of her childhood life she told him the truth. Sparing no details, she recounted every tale of stealing, beatings, witnessing and committing crimes to survive. His jaw had shut tight and his lips formed a stern, straight line.

Nowadays he refuses to discuss the Rukongai, and avoids the topic of their early lives completely. To this day she cannot determine if his anger was pointed at her or himself.

Rangiku spoke softly this time. "Nanao, I cannot protect you, I have a taicho to look after. Please, let Shunsui help you. I know it's hard to believe considering his recent behavior, but he can protect you if you would just let him. I'm not asking you to accept his feelings, just allow him to help you, Nanao."

Her delicate hand squeezed Nanao's shoulder as she stood up to leave. "I have to go to Toshiro, it might be best if you sleep here instead of your bedroom; less things to get hurt by. Think about what I said, Nanao-chan."

There was a soft click of the door closing before Nanao was left alone in her home with a drunk and passed out taicho. She could have laughed at the situation, but all Nanao wanted was sleep. She felt around the couch for a blanket and found an unfamiliar silky fabric that smelled faintly of cherry blossoms and sake. Too confused and frankly too tired to care about who's it was, Nanao pulled the haori-like cover around her small frame and fell into a deep slumber just as dark as when she was awake.

* * *

Shunsui had seen many sights in his lifetime, but this was by far his favorite. His fukutaicho was peacefully sleeping on her couch, wrapped in his haori, her shinigami robes messily held together by the obi. The light shade of pink contrasted beautifully with her ivory skin, capturing his breath. When Shunsui tried to take his haori back she shifted, mumbled something under her breath, and grasped the warm fabric tighter to her chest. The image was so unlike her that shunsui wondered if he was still asleep and dreaming. Part of him wished he still was so he could avoid confronting Nanao after the way he acted last night.

He had spent years convincing himself that when he looks into Nanao's eyes he should solely see her, and how different she is from Lisa, but no longer seeing her vibrant orbs had sent him into a confusing déja vu. He had acted on a whim, like a child, when he had kissed her.

Nanao, being a generally small woman, always instilled within him a fear of breaking her. Her slap had barely even come close to leaving a mark on his chiseled jaw, but it had cut deep into his heart.

Shunsui sat down next to her and gently pulled her head into his lap. He moved to push back her bangs but stopped, retracting his hand. He was afraid to touch her, afraid to break her fragile mindset. Shaking off the feeling he brushed her hair away and softly traced her healing scar with his fingertips. It was a thin raised line marring her pale skin and making her look even more petite and exhausted. Barely visible to the naked eye, but Shunsui never missed a detail about his fukutaicho. He could tell you everything about Ise Nanao, from the freckle on the backside of her right shoulder to the two inch scar on her left instep from stepping on glass as a child.

He loved learning about her and wanted her whole being to be his. He did not just _love_ her, like so many thought, he _yearned _for her. She was always unreachable, and just when he thought he understood her she would suprise him. Nanao kept him on his toes and it excited him. For once in his life someone kept him guessing and he thrived to keep the game going.

Lisa had succumbed to his flirtations immediately, flirting back with him and joining in on his jokes. She was predictable.

'_I guess you could say my heart is like a woman's: fickle.' _

Shunsui chuckled at the irony. He was stroking Nanao's hair lightly when she cracked an eye open and yawned, her mouth forming a small _o. _

_"_Good morning Nanao-chan."

The dark haired woman jumped, and Shunsui had to grasp her waist to keep her from falling off the cushion. To be completely honest, he grabbed any chance he had to touch her without complaint. He gripped her firmly but with care, and looked her in the eyes out of habit. He decided to leave out the bit about her using his haori as a blanket, and quickly got to the point.

"I'm sorry about last night. I was childish and drunk, and you should not have to take responsibility for my actions. You had every right to react how you did."

Nanao sighed deeply. "I'm still sorry for being so harsh. Can we not talk about this, sir?"

Shunsui pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing he messed up badly this time.

An idea came to mind and he quickly changed the subject, ushering her to stand up.

"Up, up, I'm your caretaker, and it's my job to get you started on rehabilitation."

"Sir, I'm really not up for this."

"Since when has that ever stopped me, Nanao-chan?"

She swore she could hear the grin in his voice.


End file.
